Entry visa
The entry visa is the authorisation granted to non-EU citizens to enter, transit or stay in Italy.
Visa are issued by the Italian Embassies and Consulates in the country of residence of the foreign citizen. The list of Italian Embassies and Consulates can be found on the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Citizens of some countries do not require a visa for touristic stays, family visits, short courses, lasting no more than 90 days in the Schengen area countries, including Italy.
For all stays longer than 90 days, you must always have a type D visa and apply for a residence permit within eight working days after arriving in Italy.
Study visa and Universitaly portal
A study visa allows entry into Italy for enrolling to University courses.
NON-EU citizens wishing to apply for a study visa for enrolling in university courses must submit a pre-registration request on the ministerial portal Universitaly before applying for the study visa. The pre-enrollment on Universitaly is compulsory for the following Courses and Programmes: Bachelor’s Degree courses, Master’s Degree courses, Single-Cycle Master’s Degree courses, First- and Second-Level Postgraduate Degree courses, Foundation courses, PhD courses, Specialisation courses, Advanced courses, Italian Language and Culture courses, Single Courses (about mobility programmes, Erasmus or exchange, please see the Paragraph below). The pre-enrolment on Universitaly is not requested for Summer/Winter Schools: for such short stay programmes is fine a short stay visa (Uniform Shengen visa, if requested).
Applicants for university courses requiring prior admission by the competent Board of the degree course must also upload the admission letter issued by the relevant course on the Universitaly portal. For information on the documentation required for pre-registration in a PhD or Postgraduate degree please contact the PhD or Postgraduate Degree Office.
How to proceed on Universitaly portal
Once registered on the Universitaly portal, select the University of Pisa, the course of study, the language of the course, the Italian Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence where you will apply for the visa (in the pre-registration application, do not indicate the tax code if you already have one and the ID of the chosen university).
The pre-registration application will be evaluated by the University of Pisa and, following its validation, forwarded to the relevant Italian Embassy/Consulate.
Once the application is validated, the student will receive a notification from the Universitaly Portal and will find the Summary in pdf format on its own Universitaly page, at the bottom of it. Only then the candidate can submit the visa application to the competent Embassy by attaching the aforementioned Summary.
Documents requested for the issue of the study visa
The documents to be produced to obtain a student visa includes:
- entry visa application form (in the form, always select multiply entries)
- recent passport-size photograph
- valid travel document with an expiry date that is at least three months after that of the required visa
- availability of appropriate accommodation in Italy
- pre-registration for the course to be attended in Italy (Summary on the Universitaly Portal)
- health insurance, if the foreign national is not entitled to healthcare in Italy under agreements in force with their country
- proof of the availability of means of subsistence in Italy, amounting to at least EUR 448.52 for each month of the academic year. Such availability can be demonstrated by:
- proof of personal or family financial resources
- economic security ensured by Italian institutions and organisations with proven creditworthiness, by local Governments, or by foreign institutions and organisations recognised as reliable by the Italian diplomatic mission.
For all the details on visa issuance: http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/it
Further useful info: https://www.esteri.it/en/sportello_info/domandefrequenti/
Incoming Non-EU Erasmus/Exchange students
Already in European or Schengen Country
You can enter Italy without an Italian visa, for a stay longer than 90 days, as long as the following applies:
a) you are currently participating in a European exchange programme (Erasmus or else);
b) have the documentation stating the programme you will do is in addition to the study programme you have done in the EU Country;
c) your study residency permit, issued by the EU or Schengen country is valid for the duration of your stay in Italy.
Once arrived, within the first 8 working days, you must go to the Questura (Police) in via San Francesco 8, and fill in the “dichiarazione di presenza” (declaration of presence). To fill it, you must have the entry date stamp on your passport when you enter Italy OR the travel ticket of your arrival in Italy.
If missing the entry stamp/travel ticket, you will have to apply for the residence permit. For any doubt, please contact the Italian Embassy/Consulate in the country where you reside/study.
Coming from a Non European or Schengen country
- for a stay longer than 90 days, you must have an Italian study visa, so firstly you must apply on the UNIVERSITALY Portal:
register all requested data, select the option “mobility for study/traineeship (e.g. Erasmus)“ and upload the Learning Agreement and the Acceptance letter received from your Erasmus Coordinator. Also leave blank the tax code if you do not have it and the ID account at the chosen University.
Once your application will be checked and validate, you will receive a notice by the portal and you will find the Summary. Please print the Summary, as you need it when you apply for the visa at our Embassy.
For all information about entry visa, please visit the related link.
Once you arrive in Italy, you must apply for the Residence Permit;
- for a maximum stay of 90 days, please check the list of countries whose citizens are exempt from the visa requirement.
